Electrical connector hinge



Aug. 3, 1965 s. MASSE ETAL ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HINGE Filed Jan. 22,1962 United States Patent 3,199,059 LECTRECAL CQNNECTURHENGE Michel S.Masse, ltloliywood, and s'erome B. Murray, Los

Angeles, Calif, assignors, by mesne assignments, to The BendixCorporation, Baltimore,'Md., a corporation of Deiaware Filed Jan. 22,1962, Ser. No. 167,645

2 Claims. (til. 339-4) This invention relates in general to electricalcircuit apparatus and in particular to an electrical connector hingedevice for mechanically and electrically interconnecting printed circuitboards.

Sub-miniaturization of circuit components together with printed circuitboards has substantially reduced the size of assemblies for electroniccircuitry. Such assemblies not only offer a substantial savings in spacerequirements but also effect a significant improvement in thereliability of operation as well as reducing the weight considerations.They are particularly advantageous in aircraft applications where spaceand weight are at a decided premium.

In a complex circuit arrangement, such as two-way radio communicationequipment or electronic instrumentation apparatus, a number of printedcircuit boards may be arranged in closely spaced arrays or banks. Eachboard with associated miniaturized electronic components mounted thereonrepresents a particular portion of the overall circuitry. A problem hasbeen presented in the past, however, in effecting an acceptablecompromise between desirable compactness and necessary serviceability.If the circuit boards are so spaced for optimum compactness,serviceability may be impaired due to the difiiculty in gaining accessto the individual boards and associated components. If the boards arearranged for convenient access, the compactness thereof must necessarilybe sacrificed.

It is therefore an object of thepresent invention to provide aconnecting arrangement for printed circuit boards whereby a compact,high-density packaging arrangement may be effected without sacrificingserviceability.

Another object is to provide an electrical connector inge forelectrically and mechanically interconnecting circuits on printedcircuit boards whereby such boards may be positioned in any desirableangle in relation to each other to facilitate servicing.

Still another object is to provide a new and improved method ofpivotally interconnecting printed circuit boards without separate cableand connector assemblies thereby eliminating attendant wire leadbreakage'due to flexing.

A feature of the present invention is the provision of a connector hingeassembly which includes a plurality of metallic hinge loops disposed aspairs on a support shaft of insulating material. Each hinge loop pairincludes a first limb adapted for connection to a first circuit boardand a second limb connected to a second circuit board whereby theinterconnected circuit boards may be folded in any given relation toeach other about the axis of the support shaft.

Another feature is the provision of such a connector hinge wherein aplurality of tubular insulating sections interspace pairs of conductinghinge loops on an insulated support shaft in a given relation, andwherein one limb of each hinge loop pair includes a concave curvature toform a resilient contact with the other limb thereby facilitating thepivotable action while maintaining positive electrical contact betweenthe hinge loop limbs and therefore between the circuit boards sointerconnected.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top sectional View of two circuit boards interconnected bythe present invention;

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F16. 2 is a side cross sectional view taken along lines 2-2 of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a side cross sectional view of the connector apparatus withthe circuit boards in a folded relation;

FIG. 4 is an exploded view of a portion of the connector hinge assembly;

FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view of a connector hinge loop limb pairtaken along lines 5-5 of FIG. 4; and

FIG. 6 is a side cross sectional view of another embodiment of theconnector hinge.

In practicing the invention an improved connector hinge apparatus isprovided for electrically and mechanically interconnecting printedcircuit boards Without separate cable and connector assemblies. Thehinge assembly con: sists of a support tube of insulating material forreceiving a threadable lock shaft therethrough. Mounted as integralpairs on the support tube are a plurality of metallic hinge loops orrings interspaced in a given relationship by a plurality of tubularsections of insulating material which are adapted for insertion on thesupport tube. Each hinge loop pair includes a first limb adapted forconnec tion to one circuit board and a second limb for connecting to asecond circuit board whereby the circuit boards so interconnected may befolded about the axis of the support tube in any desired relationship toeach other. Further, one such limb of the hinge loop pair has aresilient concave configuration in the base portion thereof tofacilitate such pivoting action by forming a resilient cushion at eachhinge loop joint as well as insuring positive electrical contact betweenintegral limb members.

Referring to FIG. 1, connector hinge apparatus 10 extends lengthwisebetween printed circuit boards 11 and 12. The circuit boards are of thetype having a plurality of generally parallel conducting strips 13etched on the surface of a flat plate of suitable dielectric materialsuch as Bakelite or the like. The conducting strips serve to connectvarious circuit components in a particular relation, not shown, butwhich it will be understood to be afiixed to circuit boards 11 and 12 ina known manner. The configuration of the conducting strips is arrangedso as to provide the particular portion of electronic circuitry desired.

Connector hinge It includes a plurality of hinge loop or ring pairs 14consisting of ring members 15 and 16 and adapted for electrically andmechanically interconnecting printed circuit boards 11 and 12. Theprinted circuit boards include a plurality of eyelets identifiedgenerally as numeral 17 positioned along the sides of circuit boards 11and 12 wherein end portions 15a and 16a of binge rings 15 and 16 areinsertable for soldering therein (as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3).

As shown more clearly in FIG. 4, connector hinge apparatus 19 consistsof a tubular shaft 24) of insulating material through which extends alock rod 19 threaded at each end. A plurality of metallic hinge ringmembers 15 and 16 having an opening therein are disposed as integralpairs on support shaft 26. Each ring member is constructed in anessentially L-shaped configuration and assembled on support shaft 20 ina manner so as to extend in opposing directions in the fully openposition. A plurality of tubular sections 21 constructed of insulatingmaterial and having an approximate inner diameter equal to the outerdiameter of support shaft 20 are inserted thereon.

As best shown in FIG. 1, tubular sections 21 are interspaced betweenhinge ring pairs 14. Each tubular section 21 has a given dimensionallength whereby the hinge ring pairs are positioned on support shaft 20in a particular spaced relationship. A washer 22, abutting the endmosttubular section :21 at each end, and a nut 23, cooperating with the ringrod 19, secures the connector hinge apparatus it as a single integralunit. With end portion of ring member 15 affixed within appropriateeyelets 17 on circuit board 11 and end portion 16a of loop member 16affixed within similar associated eyelets on circuit board 12, thecircuit boards may be pivoted or folded around the axis of support shaft20 in any given relation to each other within a circle of approximately270 degrees (as shown in FIG. 3).

' Further, the boards may be conveniently interconnected electrically inany desired manner by reason of the electrical continuity which ismaintained between ring members 15 and 16 in each hinge loop pair 14.Each hinge ring pair is effectively insulated from one another bytubular spacer 21 and support shaft 20 which are con structed ofsuitable insulating materials. From FIG. 5 it will be noted that eachhinge ring member 15 is constructed with a concave curvature in thecircular base portion, thereby forming a resilient cushion incooperation with the base portion of ring member '16. This cushioningac-tion effectively compensates for tolerance differences between thehinge ring pairs 14 and tubular spacers 21 as well as facilitating thepivoting action between the interconnected circuit boards. Further,positive electrical continuity is insured by the resilient pressurebetween ring members 15 and 16 at all times.

Each of the ring members 15 and 16 may include a projecting end portionhaving a rectangular slot 24 therein (FIGS. 2 and 4). Appropriateelectrical leads may be positioned lengthwise along the connector hingeapparatus and connected to ring members and 16 by being inserted inslots 24 and soldered therein. In subsequent pivoting and flexingcircuit boards 11 and 12, the electrical leads so connected will remainsubstantially stationary thereby eliminating attendant wire leadbreakage and the like while increasing the flexibility of servicing thecircuit boards.

' It is to be emphasized, however, that ring members 15 and 16 are notlimited to the above configuration. Rectangular slots 24 may be includedin both of ring members 15 and 16 as described, in only one of the ringmembers, or in neither, as shown in FIG. 6. In the latter construction,the associated electrical leads may be connected to eyelets 18positioned along the sides of circuit boards 11 and 12 (FIG. 1), eitherby direct soldering or through other suitable connector apparatus (notshown); the electrical leads may also be soldered directly in theeyelets of conductor strips 13 in one or both of circuit boards 11 and12.

FIG. 6 also shows another construction for the hinge rings if greatermechanical strength is desired. In this embodiment, each hinge ring pair30 includes loop members 31 and 32, each of which has a pair of endportions 31a, 31b and 32a, 32b respectively. The end portions may thenbe soldered in provided eyelets in circuit boards 11 and 12 in themanner shown.

In addition, it is to be further emphasized that the present inventionis not limited to the interconnection of only two such circuit boards. Asimilar connector hinge may be aflixed to either or both of circuitboards 11 and 12 in the manner previously described to any given numberof interconnected circuit boards which may be folded or pivoted in likemanner around the axis of the added connector hinges.

The present invention therefore provides an improved method ofelectrically and mechanically interconnecting a number of printedcircuit boards such that both the desired degree of compactness andserviceability is readily obtained. A plurality of hinge loops or ringsmay be disposed as pairs on a support shaft to meet the physicalconfigurations of any circuit board requirements. The in vention iseconomical in manufacture and is not dependent upon close tolerances forproper operation.

We claim:

1. Printed circuit board apparatus including in comination, a pluralityof circuit boards having eyelets along the sides thereof, an elongatedsupport shaft-of insulating material, a plurality of metallic conductinghinges each having a ring-shaped mounting portion with an integralextension thereon and a connecting finger extending normally thereto,said hinges being mounted as pairs with said support shaft extendingthrough said ring-shaped portions, said hinges being .interspaced in adesired relationship by a plurality of tubular spacers on said supportshaft, said ring-shaped portion of one of said hinges in each of saidpairs being of curved resilient configuration and cooperating with thering-shaped portion of the other hinge of said pair to provide resilientcontact therebetween, said extensions of said hinges being adapted forelectrical connection to respective ones of said printed circuit boardswith said connecting fingers thereon extending into said eyelets on saidboards to provide mechanical support for said boards such that saidboards are pivotal about the axis of said support shaft, said resilientcontact between said hinges of each of said pairs facilitating saidpivoting action and maintaining positive electrical continuity betweensaid hinges, thereby permitting electrical connection of said printedcircuit boards.

2. Electrical connector hinge apparatus for mechanically andelectrically interconnecting printed circuit boards of the type havingconductor strips thereon, said connector hinge including in combination,an elongated support shaft of insulating material, a plurality of L-shaped metallic hinges each having a base portion with an openingtherein for mounting on said support shaft, a plurality of tubularspacers of insulating material interspacing pairs of said hinges on saidsupport shaft in a given relationship, one of said hinges in each pairhaving a curvature formed in its base portion whereby a resilientcontact is formed between the base portions of said hinges in each pair,one of said hinges in each pair being mcchan ically and electricallyconnected to one of said circuit boards with the other of said hingesbeing similarly connected to another of said circuit boards, saidcircuit boards being pivotal around the axis of said support shaft inany given relationship to each other, said resilient contact betweensaid hinges facilitating said pivoting action and maintaining positiveelectrical continuity between said hinges, thereby permitting electricalinterconnection of said circuit boards.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,631,994 6/27Warner 339-2 2,341,459 2/44 Martin. 2,477,901 8/49 Robboy. 2,740,0973/56 Edelman et al 3394 X JOSEPH D. SEERS, Primary Examiner.

2. ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR HINGE APPARATUS FOR MECHANICALLY ANDELECTRICALLY INTERCONNECTING PRINTED CIRCUIT BOARDS OF THE TYPE HAVINGCONDUCTOR STRIPS THEREON, SAID CONNECTOR HINGE INCLUDING IN COMBINATION,AN ELONGATED SUPPORT SHAFT OF INSULATING MATERIAL, A PLURALITY OFLSHAPED METALLIC HINGES EACH HAVING A BASE PORTION WITH AN OPENINGTHEREIN FOR MOUNTING ON SAID SUPPORT SHAFT, A PLURALITY OF TUBULARSPACERS OF INSULATING MATERIAL INTERSPACING PAIRS OF SAID HINGES ON SAIDSUPPORT SHAFT IN A GIVEN RELATIONSHIP, ONE OF SAID HINGES IN EACH PAIRHAVING A CURVATURE FORMED IN ITS BASE PORTION WHEREBY A RESILIENTCONTACT IS FORMED BETWEEN THE BASE PORTIONS OF SAID HINGES IN EACH PAIR,ONE OF SAID HINGES IN EACH PAIR BEING MECHANICALLY AND ELECTRICALLYCONNECTED TO ONE OF SAID CIRCUIT BOARDS WITH THE OTHER OF SAID HINGESBEING SIMILARLY CONNECTED TO ANOTHER OF SAID CIRCUIT BOARDS, SAIDCIRCUIT BOARDS BEING PIVOTAL AROUND HTHE AXIS OF SAID SUPPORT SHAFT INANY GIVEN RELATIONSHIP TO EACH OTHER, SAID RESILIENT CONTACT BETWEENSAID HINGES FACILITATING SAID PIVOTING ACTION AND MAINTAINING POSITIVEELECTRICAL CONTINUITY BETWEEN SAID HINGES, THEREBY PERMITTING ELECTRICALINTERCONNECTION OF SAID CIRCUIT BOARDS.